PHS students help install solar panels

Porterville High School’s students climbed on top of a couple of roofs Wednesday and Thursday to help GRID Alternatives of Fresno install solar electric systems on local affordable-housing projects.

GRID Alternatives worked with students and staff from the Alternatives Energy Resources Occupations — AERO — Pathway program at Porterville Unified School District to install the two systems. The installation linked classroom instruction of renewable energies with some hands-on solar learning opportunities for the students.

“We’re trying to have them do it all — everything, the mounting, racking the gear on the roof and placing the modules or panels and hanging the inverter,” said John Nichols, construction manager of Grid Alternatives in Fresno.

At one of the homes, PHS juniors Dustin Huntley, Jose Ruiz and Gilbert Ramos worked together in hanging the inverter.

“This is our first time doing this out on a house but it is similar to what we have been working on at school,” Huntley said. “This will produce power. The sun hits the panels, transfers the energy to the inverter which then changes it from dc power to ac power. We’ve had a lot of fun doing it.”

The procedure has been interesting, said Ruiz.

“We’ve been learning about clean energy and all different fields — biological fields and working on cars and engines,” Ruiz said about the school program. “Here we have done everything. We measured the lines and planned the installation and drilled the holes and hooked up the panels. The experience, and learning how clean energy is used and how it’s better, has been great.”

At the second home, the home’s owner, Carlos Carranza, watched as several more students worked on his home installing 22 of the 65 by 40 inch, 230 watt panels.

“They’ve been working hard,” Carranza said. “I’m very happy and grateful for the work that they have been doing. I’m not sure how much this will save us. They said it saves quite a bit.”
According to Don Williams, solar installment superintendent, the installation will save the family an average of 75-percent of their electricity bill. But homeowners and the students were not the only ones satisfied with the outcome. AERO teachers were pleased too.

“The biggest thing is to make sure that they can see and understand that their current academics and trade is being applied to something they can do as a career,” said AERO lead teacher Brad Collins. “That they can see this as a career option.”

At times Collins said he has worried that perhaps the students were not understanding everything in class, but watching them work, he knew without a doubt he had nothing to worry about.

“They really get it. They are working quickly and cooperatively and applying their people skills,” Collins said. “I’m very pleased. It’s definitely something we’ll look to do again next year. We’ll look at this as our end of the year project. What’s been great is that they see this as fun. They don’t’ even realize how much they are learning out there.”

Since piloting the Solar Affordable Housing Program in 2004, GRID Alternatives has installed more than 889 solar electric systems with low-income families throughout Northern and Southern California, translating to more than $21 million in energy generated over the projected life span of the systems.

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.